Police chiefs say they are “struggling” to enforce the latest Covid-19 restrictions which have brought “greater confusion”.
Progress in aligning the law with guidance has been plunged into reverse by Boris Johnson’s new three-tiered system, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said.
It means that, in tier 2 and 3 areas, the regulations bar people from separate households from meeting in a pub, or other indoor setting – but police guidance still says that is allowed.
“Introducing them in the way that we have done has introduced greater confusion – that’s exactly the crux of the issue here,” admitted Owen Weatherill, from the NPCC, adding: “We are all struggling with that.”
Mr Weatherill revealed the NPCC had pleaded with the government for clearer rules, telling MPs: “That is what I thought was going to happen 10 days ago.”
The comments came after it was revealed that gyms will reopen in Merseyside – the first tier 3 area – one week after the government ordered them to close.
Meanwhile, Scotland Yard is being urged to withdraw “misleading and unlawful” advice that pubs ask for photographic identification to stop households mixing.
The Metropolitan force is under fire after telling publicans they must ensure groups are only from one household, or part of a support bubble – including checking names and addresses.
Mr Weatherill, the NPCC’s led officer, said its data pointed to increasing public compliance with the restrictions, in shops and on public transport – but only where the rules were understood.
“Where there is confusion, there is an opportunity for people to become worn down and confused and less likely to comply,” he told the Commons home affairs committee.
The NPCC had called for “simplified, consistent tiers”, warning that the shift had “confused the messaging again” – after it had been made “clinically clear”.
Yvette Cooper, the committee’s chair, admitted she had stumbled over the detail of the regulations, showing “how hard it is for all of us to follow”.
“That’s pretty hard on police officers who have got to deal with this every single day,” she said.
Ms Cooper read out up to 8 changes to the regulations in parts of Lancashire since the start of August, as the lockdown was first eased – and then tightened again, in stages.
Mr Weatherill also sought to play down fears that the public will shun testing for coronavirus, with police set to receive data on them – to ensure they are self-isolating, if required to.
He insisted such data would only be handed over “on a case-by case basis”, telling the MPs: “We are not talking about bulk data”.
The move would only kick in “where we need to verify whether someone is, or is not, required to self-isolate”, the assistant chief constable said.
